Power generation at Unit-1 of the Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant in Dinajpur was suspended on Sunday after a boiler tube burst, bringing electricity production at the plant to a complete halt.
As a result, all three units of the plant, with a combined capacity of 525 megawatts (MW), are now out of operation.
Abu Bakar Siddique, chief engineer of the power plant, said that of the three units, Unit-1, with a capacity of 125 MW, had been generating around 60 MW of electricity at the time of the incident.
“The boiler tube of Unit-1 burst around 11am due to excessive heat pressure. The water flowing inside the boiler has a temperature of around 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit,” he said.
He added that it may take about a week for the boiler to cool down, after which the extent of the damage can be assessed. “If repairs are completed successfully, power generation can be resumed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Unit-3, which has a capacity of 275 MW, has been shut down for overhauling work being carried out by Chinese engineers, while Unit-2 (125 MW) has remained out of operation for a long time due to technical faults.
As a result, the coal-fired power plant is currently completely shut down.
Officials warned that the shutdown may lead to load-shedding in northern districts, potentially disrupting production at electricity-dependent industries and causing hardship across the region.
